iPhone 17e and 16e Are So Similar That You Could Swap Motherboards: Teardown

Modular and upgradeable. Those aren’t necessarily terms you would associate with Apple’s iPhones. But interestingly enough, a recent teardown of the iPhone 17e by JerryRigEverything shows the iPhone 16e is more upgradeable than we thought. Based on his teardown, it shows how the iPhone 16e could be upgraded with key iPhone 17e components to support MagSafe and more.

iPhone 16e hardware upgrade is theoretically possible with iPhone 17e parts

In his video, JerryRigEverything puts the iPhone 17e through his usual torture tests. This includes scratching, bending, and burning the phone. But what’s interesting is that after taking apart the device, the YouTuber found that the iPhone 17e seems to share a lot of parts with the iPhone 16e.

This includes the motherboard and MagSafe, which in theory means the iPhone 16e could be upgraded to a pseudo-iPhone 17e if you were so inclined. The use of the same motherboard means you could upgrade the iPhone 16e to the A19 chipset. Also, you could swap out the back of the iPhone 16e with the iPhone 17e to give it MagSafe compatibility. That’s actually pretty cool. Not to mention, it’s cheaper than buying a new phone if you can access those components.

When Apple launched the iPhone 16e last year, it did not come with MagSafe support. Apple defended its decision by saying the phone’s target audience typically charges via cable. But the cynic in us thinks it’s more about cost-cutting.

Should you “upgrade”?

That being said, we should note that this upgrade path has its caveats. This is actually not the first time we learned about the iPhone 16e and 17e sharing similar components. Back in March, iFixit discovered you could bring MagSafe over to the device. However, they also noted that you won’t get the same charging speeds.

MagSafe on the iPhone 17e charges at 15W, but on its predecessor, it drops to 7.5W. That’s considerably slower. The only upside here is the convenience. But with all unsanctioned DIY projects, you’ll be making this upgrade at your own risk. It will most likely void the warranty you have with Apple.

Plus, we’re not sure if there are other consequences of swapping out the iPhone 16e’s motherboard for the iPhone 17e. Either way, it’s something to think about.